Somebody give me that hammer

I have to say, I've hit the glass ceiling recently, as a part-time worker and mother of young child. It's not pleasant at 30.

Luckily I'm in the public service. Luckily in some ways... I received 13 weeks maternity leave, and I work part-time. But I've been back for a year now, after nearly 4 years of service, and despite the fact that I increased my skills while I was away by doing sessional teaching at uni (a better paid alternative to a masters), and the fact that I wrote the manuals that my colleagues, happily leapfrogging me, use for their work, I can't get ahead.

a) there are no part-time professional positions. none. You'd think the entire workplace hadn't heard of job-sharing. Lawyers in firms reckon part-time is 4 days per week.

b) You've got to be 5 times better than anyone else to be considered for a full-time position on a part-time basis.

c) There are few chances to improve your skills (and become the said 5 times better) because the quality work always goes to the full-timers.

I've been told "you'll mark time until your children are in school", I've watched equally worthy colleagues promoted again and again beyond their capability and I've seen my boss fight for their retention. But when it comes to me, he is confounded by the idea that I'm asking for a better deal, validly based on my experience.

This in the public service...

It wouldn't be so bad if the cost of living wasn't so insanely high for young families, mainly because of super-inflated housing prices (something for which I hope we will hold our governments criminally responsible one of these days). But at this stage, we can barely afford a bare block in the country. But that's for another post...

If I could coast, or "mark time", I probably would. But for me and my family, the stakes are way too high.